Integrally formed glide-like supports for a tool box and the like

ABSTRACT

In a metal tool box with a pair of opposed cap end type walls, feet integrally formed on bottom flange portions of the cap end walls, which provide non-marring, weight-bearing and collapseresistant support for the box.

United States Patent 1 1 Evans 1 July 17, 1973 INTEGRALLY FORMED GLIDE-LIKE 1,859,228 5/1932 Berry 206/16 E X SUPPORTS FOR A TOOL BOX AND THE 2,541,065 2/1951 labour LIKE 2,501,980 3/1950 Wolfe 220/4 F [75 Inventor: Jack Evans,Grant Park, 111. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73 1 Assigneez Park Manufacturing Comp ny 515,579 1 1/1952 Bclg1um 220/69 Grant Park, 111. Primary ExammerHerbcrt F. Ross [22] Flledi 1971 Assistant Examiner]ames R. Garrett [21] AppL No; 112,318 Att0rney1(egan, Kegan & Berkman 52 US. Cl. 220/70, 190/18 R, 206/16 R [57] ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl 865d 7/42 In a metal tool box with a pair of opposed cap end type Field of Search 97 walls, feet integrally formed on bottom flange portions 220/4 5 206/16 16 E, 190/l8 R of the cap end walls, which provide non-marring, weight-bearing and collapse-resistant support for the [56] References Cited b UNiTED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 746,597 12/1903 Sochurek, Sr. 220/69 X 1,667,938 5/1928 Labadie et a1. 206/16 E X 1,845,202 2/1932 Shriver 206/16 E Patented July 17,' 1973 3,746,210

INVENTOR. JACK EVANS B) 7% fymue waaa Fri-Z; 5.

INTEGRALLY FORMED GLIDE-LIKE SUPPORTS FOR A TOOL BOX AND THE LIKE This invention is directed to an improved structure for support feet for metal tool boxes. More particularly, the invention relates to leg support structures formed integrally with end wall flanges of metal tool boxes and the like.

Several types of support structures for metal tool boxes are known to the prior art. These structures have taken the form of round, pushed-out dimples constituting deformities in the floor of the box, caps which are fabricated separately and fastened onto each of the four corners of the box floor, and other similar structures.

Each of these prior art support structures has serious disadvantages. The round, pushed-out dimples are so placed on the floor of the box that when weight is applied bending or distortion of the floor occurs and the edge or border portions of the box floor come into contact with the substrate, resulting in marring and scraping of the substrate surface. The round, pushed-out dimples also lack physical strength adequate for the use intended, losing their shape and collapsing to permit scraping and marring of the substrate surface. When caps are used as box supports, their formation and placement on the box require separate operations which increase manufacturing costs. These caps tend to separate from the box, whereupon the substrate is marred by the bottom of the box.

It is the aim of the present invention to obviate the above-mentioned shortcomings of prior art tool box support structures, and to provide a simple, yet highly effective support which may be produced at minimal cost while providing a sound, well-engineered product which is not subject to deterioration or to malfunction.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide non-marring, weight-bearing, collapse-resistant shoulders for positive support of a metal tool box upon a substrate.

It is a related object of the invention to obviate the need for any welding, riveting, gluing of other means of I securement of support feet to the tool box.

It is an important feature of the present invention that box supports are integrally formed with bottom flange portions of end walls to provide glide-like support feet.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a tool box embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view ofa bottom corner of the tool box shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the circled portion of FIG. 3, which shows the deformed end wall flange constituting the improved box support leg of the invention.

The present invention is described herein with reference to the specific embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, for purposes of disclosure, the tool box or carrying case 11 of the invention is shown as fabricated of sheet metal panels and including cap end walls 12 and 13, a front wall 14, a rear wall 15, and a floor 16. The tool box I l is preferably made from three separate metal sheetsone each for the cap end walls 12 and 13, and a single sheet from which the front wall 14, rear wall 15, and the floor 16 are formed. The end walls 12 and 13 are each formed with a base flange l7 and two side flanges l8 and 19 normal to and extending inwardly of the principal faces of the end walls 12 and 13. In assembly of the box, the flanges are positioned to overlie the corresponding marginal portions of the floor 16, front wall 14, and the rear wall 15 and are secured thereto by spot welding or any other preferred technique.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, glide-like support feet 21 are integrally formed from the base flange portions 17 of the end walls 12 and 13. In the preferred embodiment shown, each support foot 21 consists of a generally wedge-shaped deformation of a web portion or lineal segment 24 of the base flange l7 terminating in a smooth-surface abutment shoulder 25 which bears upon the supporting substrate, the deformed segment 24 being shaped to provide a smooth, non-marring contact surface for support of the tool box 11 and its contents. This is a most important feature of the invention and in the preferred embodiment the structure used has been found to be highly satisfactory and uniquely functional.

The ends wall 12 and 13 are deformed outwardly in a zone which is lineally coextensive with the downward deformation 24 of the base flange 17 which forms a support foot 21 for the tool box 11. This zone of outward deformation 26 imparts increased rigidity and strength to the end wall 12, while also giving the whole tool box 11 a more aesthetically pleasing and attractive appearance.

The foregoing description of a particular form of the apparatus is provided merely for purposes of illustration. In light of the present disclosure, various modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art. One such modification is to form a tool box from three sheets or panels of metal, in which one sheet constitutes the floor and both end walls, and the other sheets the front and rear walls, respectively. The front and rear walls would be formed with flange portions overlapping the floor and both end walls. Glider-like support feet in accordance with the invention would then be formed on base flange portions of the front and rear walls, respectively.

' It is to be understood that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a metal tool box and the like having a floor, front and rear walls, and opposed end walls, said end walls each including an inwardly extending base flange overlapping and contiguous with corresponding marginal portions of said floor at opposed ends thereof,

glide-like feet supporting said tool box and establishing a zone of physical separation between an inwardly projecting terminal edge of each said flange and a substrate supporting said tool box to preclude frictional and scraping engagement between the substrate and the inwardly projecting terminal edge of the base flange and to obviate marring and disfigurement of said substrate by the tool box,

each said feet being integrally formed with and constituting an off-set downwardly displaced physical deformation forceably established in said base flange of each said end walls,

each said deformation providing a non-marring,

weight-bearing, collapse-resistant shoulder disposed below said floor and projecting below said overlapping base flange of said tool box for positive support thereof on said substrate.

2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the physical deformation of said base flange of each said end walls is such that the extent of downward displacement of said base flange is a maximum in a region adjacet a juncture of said base flange with each said end walls.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said feet is a wedge-shaped projection of said flange constituting a lineal segment of said flange angled downwardly from a free edge thereof.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said feet comprises a web portion integral with said flange and disposed between lineal end limits thereof,

said web portion constituting a physically-deformed lineal segment of said flange 5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein a juncture of said web portion with each said end walls of said box defines a box-supporting abutment shoulder displaced downwardly of a principal expanse of said flange and downwardly of said floor of said box,

said web portion being angled inwardly and upwardly and extending from a lower extremity of said shoulder upwardly toward said floor of said box to provide a smooth-surfaced, wedge-shaped foot support for said box.

6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein each said end walls of said box includes a zone deformed outwardly of a principal expanse of said end walls, said zone being lineally coextensive with said web portion of said abutment shoulder,

said zone being angled downwardly and outwardly from a line on said end wall above and parallel with said abutment shoulder, to said abutment shoulder, said zone providing a wall-strengthening, smoothsurfaced, wedge-shaped, outward deformation of said end wall. 

1. In a metal tool box and the like having a floor, front and rear walls, and opposed end walls, said end walls each including an inwardly extending base flange overlapping and contiguous with corresponding marginal portions of said floor at opposed ends thereof, glide-like feet supporting said tool box and establishing a zone of physical separation between an inwardly projecting terminal edge of each said flange and a substrate supporting said tool box to preclude frictional and scraping engagement between the substrate and the inwardly projecting terminal edge of the base flange and to obviate marring and disfigurement of said substrate by the tool box, each said feet being integrally formed with and constituting an off-set downwardly displaced physical deformation forceably established in said base flange of each said end walls, each said deformation providing a non-marring, weight-bearing, collapse-resistant shoulder disposed below said floor and projecting below said overlapping base flange of said tool box for positive support thereof on said substrate.
 2. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the phySical deformation of said base flange of each said end walls is such that the extent of downward displacement of said base flange is a maximum in a region adjacet a juncture of said base flange with each said end walls.
 3. The structure as set forth in claim 1, wherein each said feet is a wedge-shaped projection of said flange constituting a lineal segment of said flange angled downwardly from a free edge thereof.
 4. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said feet comprises a web portion integral with said flange and disposed between lineal end limits thereof, said web portion constituting a physically-deformed lineal segment of said flange.
 5. The structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein a juncture of said web portion with each said end walls of said box defines a box-supporting abutment shoulder displaced downwardly of a principal expanse of said flange and downwardly of said floor of said box, said web portion being angled inwardly and upwardly and extending from a lower extremity of said shoulder upwardly toward said floor of said box to provide a smooth-surfaced, wedge-shaped foot support for said box.
 6. The structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein each said end walls of said box includes a zone deformed outwardly of a principal expanse of said end walls, said zone being lineally coextensive with said web portion of said abutment shoulder, said zone being angled downwardly and outwardly from a line on said end wall above and parallel with said abutment shoulder, to said abutment shoulder, said zone providing a wall-strengthening, smooth-surfaced, wedge-shaped, outward deformation of said end wall. 